The present invention relates to correction coils employable in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging systems. More particularly the present invention relates to a coil form and a coil winding method for axisymmetric correction coils.
In NMR imaging systems, particularly those employed for medical diagnostic purposes, it is necessary to provide a highly uniform and high strength magnetic field. Superconducting magnet coils provide a desirable method for achieving such a field. Superconducting magnets offer a particular advantage in that once energized, no electrical power is needed to maintain the resulting magnetic field. Moreover, such magnets exhibit a high degree of temporal stability. However, NMR imaging imposes strict requirements upon the magnetic field uniformity. In order to reduce the presence of image artifacts, magnetic fields exhibiting spatial variations of only a few parts per million are desired. However, even slight manufacturing variations in the construction of the main magnet can adversely effect magnetic field uniformity. Accordingly, correction coils are generally required to provide corrective magnetic field components. Typically, the correction coils carry much less current than do the main magnet coils. Adjustment to the main field provided by correction coils are typically achieved by selecting appropriate current levels and current directions for the correction coils. In general, correction coils comprise coils or coil sets which are either axisymmetric or axiperiodic. Axisymmetric correction coils typically comprise coil loops which completely surround a cylindrical support form in the circumferential direction. These coils are particularly desirable in adjusting certain axial components of the magnetic field. The instant invention is particularly directed to the construction of such axisymmetric correction coils.
Axisymmetric correction coils are typically disposed on cylindrical coil forms in discrete coil pairs. These axisymmetric coils impose axial field gradients of different orders. One coil set is necessary for each gradient one wishes to affect. Therefore, several sets of axial coils are usually employed in a device having high magnetic field homogeneity. These sets usually consist of coil pairs, the current in which may be symmetric or antisymmetric about a midplane which bisects the cylindrical form and is perpendicular to the cylindrical axis. Accordingly, these coils sets are described as being configured as either an even or odd ordered coil pair depending on the electrical winding sense associated with each coil in the set. Furthermore, the high gradient strengths required for many applications make superconducting coils very desirable because of their high strength, their zero steady-state power requirements and their high temporal stability.
It is therefore desirable to be capable of winding several sets of odd and even axisymmetric superconducting coil pairs quickly and easily, preferably on one support structure to facilitate subsequent assembly into a cryostat along with the main magnet structure. These axisymmetric coils must operate in high magnetic fields since they are placed close to the main field windings so as to minimize liquid helium volume while maximizing magnet bore diameter. Electromagnetic forces for such high fields can cause coil motion, consequent heating, and possible quenching unless coils are well supported and/or well cooled.
Accordingly, many in the past have taught the desirability of pretensioning superconductive windings to prevent motion during operation. However, minimization of motion has typically been accomplished by such means as overbanding or impregnation with a glass fiber/epoxy composite for support. Furthermore, such pretensioning and overbanding methods have not been employed in the construction of NMR correction coil windings.